Gun stabilizer



Jan. 17, 1967 J. L. RAHM GUN STABILIZER Filed March 22, 196

INVENTOR Joseph L. Ra/rm M yaw ATTORNEY 3,298,280 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 3,298,280 GUN STABILIZER Joseph L. Rahm, 7508 La Grange Road, Louisville, Ky. 40222 Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 441,720 7 Claims. (Cl. 89-14) The present application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 300,943, filed August 8, 1963, now Patent No. 3,179,011.

The present invention relates to improvements in gun stabilizing devices or compensating devices and flash suppression devices, and more particularly to devices which use the kinetic energy of the gases escaping from the gun, when fired, to oppose the recoil and vertical climb .or jump of the gun barrel.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use in automatic weapons such as rifles, machine guns and the like, wherein a plurality of successive projectiles are discharged from the gun barrel by merely pulling or actuating the trigger mechanism once. It is apparent that in such an automatic weapon wherein the trigger is pulled but once to automatically fire a large number of projectiles, for example l0, 15 or 20 projectiles, and only the first shot is on target due to the recoil and vertical climb or jump of the gun barrel, the remaining shots that are fired are, in effect, wasted since they are off target.

In accordance with the present invention a stabilizing device is provided for such an automatic weapon to hold the muzzle on target during the entire firing of the projectiles in the weapon cartridge.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device to suppress the muzzle flash emanating from the gun to permit the operator or firer to maintain a line of sight on a target at which he is aimed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for an automatic weapon to prevent the muzzle flash adjacent the front end of the gun barrel from blotting out or obscuring the target.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compensating or stabilizing device to reduce the recoil or kick of the gun so that the firer may maintain his continuous or automatic firing of the projectiles on the target level.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a stabilizing device for a gun for converting the kinetic energy of the gases escaping from the gun barrel to a force opposing the recoil of the gun.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compensating device for an automatic weapon which eliminates the vertical climb or walk or jump of the gun barrel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stabilizing or compensating device for ready attachment to the barrel of automatic weapons already in the field which will not interfere with normal operation of the weapon such as the gun-sight already mounted on the weapon and the means for attaching a bayonet thereto.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compensating device for attachment to the muzzle of a gun barrel that is simple and compact in construction and which can be readily made from parts that are available and does not require complex or excessive machining of the parts.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compensating device for use with a gun that is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced series of cup members or chambers formed from a single piece of material with rib means disposed longitudinally of the top of the device and an arcuate section disposed longitudinally of the bottom of the device. Between the cup members there is provided a plurality of slot means. Also, the device is provided with an annular ring that can be readily attached to the device for preventing the gun from deflecting to the right or left side. The device further is provided with a detachable sleeve that can be disposed over the major portion of the device.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the device of the present invention shown with parts broken away and in section;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device with portions of the outer sleeve cut away to show the configuration of the cup members;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the device adjacent the portion that fits on the gun muzzle, and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the sleeve member that is deta-chably connected to the device.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the muzzle end of a gun barrel upon which is disposed the compensating or stabilizing device 12 of the present invention. The device 12 can be secured to the gun muzzle by any suitable means, but preferably it is provided with internal threads that are screw-threaded to the gun. The device 12 is substantially an elongated cylindrical member and is provided with a cylindrical section 14 adjacent the gun muzzle, which section is preferably internally threaded for attachment to a gun.

The cylindrical section 14 is provided with a cup member or chamber 16 spaced from the main section 18 of the cylindrical portion by a triangular slot 20. The cup member 16 has a slanted partition or bafiie 22 disposed at a 60 angle with the horizontal axis of the device and a vertical partition or bafile .24 forming the chamber. The slanted baffle 22 is provided with a central opening 26 therein and the vertical baflle 24 is provided with a central opening therein which is of smaller diameter than the central opening 26. The bottom portion of the section 14 has a rib 30 extending between the main section 18 and the cup member 16, while the upper or top of the section 14 is provided with an arcuate section, as best seen in FIGURE 2, connecting the section 18 with the cup 16.

Another triangular slot 34 is provided in the device adjacent the forward side of the partition 24 and a second cup member 35 is disposed forwardly of the slot 34. The cup 36 has a slanted partition 38 adjacent its rear side and a vertical partition 40 adjacent its front side both having central openings therein with the opening in the slanted partition 38 being larger than the opening in the partition 40. The cup member 34 is disposed opposite to the cup 16, or in other words with the slanted partition 38 forming a 60 angle adjacent its upper edge with the horizontal axis of the device. A third cup 42 is disposed forwardly of the cup 34 and has a similar slanted and vertical partition with central openings therein. A fourth cup member 44 is disposed forwardly of the cup member 42. Triangular slots 46 and 48 respectively are disposed between the respective cups as already described. The cup 44 is provided with a cylindrical portion or section 50 adjacent its front end with the vertical partition 52 as best seen in FIGURE 1 disposed rearwardly of the cylindrical section 50.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that a longitudinal rib 54 is connected between the cups 16, 36, 42 and 44. It will also be noted that an annular washer member 56 is disposed within the slot 34, and is positioned so that it is at about the midpoint of the slot 34 between the partition 24 and the cup member 36. The washer member is secured to the rib 54 and to the lower portion of the device by any suitable means such as welding or the like.

The front portion of the device is provided with two separated or spaced triangular slots 58 as best seen in FIGURE 2 on opposite sides of the cylindrical section 50. The front end of the device terminates in a cylindrical section 62 with inwardly slanted partitions or portions 64 forming a part of the slots -8. The front end of the device is provided with a sleeve 66 or tube extending through the cylindrical section 62 which forms the forwardmost cup member 68. The tube 66 is provided with slant cuts 70 in its opposite rear end which form part of the slot 58 already described.

The rear portion of the device is provided with an annular ring member 72 of greater diameter than the main section 18 and a screw member 74 is disposed in the ring as best seen in FIGURE 3 in order to extend through a complementary aperture in the side of the sec tion 18. Depending upon which of the two late-rally disposed apertures or passages 76 extending through the member or section 18, that the screw 74 is disposed in, it will cause the gun to be deflected properly to the left or the right. The ring 72 forms an annular space 78 around the outer diameter of the section 18.

Another annular member 80 is disposed around the periphery of the cup member 16 and is secured thereto by any suitable means.

A sleeve 82 of substantially larger diameter than the device 12 is provided for mounting over the outside thereof. The sleeve 82 is substantially cylindrical adjacent its forward portion 84 and has a necked end or reduced rear portion 86. The top of the portion 86 is provided with a plurality of aligned apertures 88 therein. The forward end of the portion 84 is provided with an annular internal rim 90 disposed to seat against the outer surface of the forwardmost cup member 68 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. The sleeve member may be suitably connected or positioned on the device 12 by any suitable means such as set screws or the like.

After the device of the present invention 'has been properly secured to a gun muzzle and the gun is fired, the gases behind the bullet will enter the cup member or chamber 16 and expand. They cannot exit as fast as they enter, burning and expanding inside the cup member creates excessive pressure thereby pushing ahead and reducing the recoil. The escaping gases pass down the 60 slanted incline of the baffle or partition and tend to elevate the muzzle. This action is offset by the other cup members which are reversed or oppositely disposed to reduce the recoil. The slot 20 prevents any water or rain from being trapped in the device and draining back into the gun barrel.

The action of the washer member 56 is to drive the muzzle down by the gases striking the 60 angle at which the washer member is disposed. This rush of the gases upwardly and outwardly prevents or cuts off the other deflected gases from the face of the firer.

The gases as they are pushed forward into cup 42 reduces rec-oil with the gases escaping off of the slanted partition of this cup reducing the muzzle climb.

The operation of the next two cup members 44 and 68 are the same, with each exit from the cup member being smaller than the previous one, as the pressure from the muzzle is reduced by the escaping gases. This action is described in my copending application set forth hereinbef'ore. a V

With respect to the cup member 68, the provision of the slots 58 on both sides thereof will cause the gas to be deflected out the side.

The provision of the sleeve 84 prevents the gases escap- 5 ing from the slots between the cup members from blasting back into the firers face. The annular member 80 also prevents any blasting back into the firers face and the sleeve member reduces the noise level. The sleeve 82 also catches all of the gases escaping from the slots and reduces the recoil to a maximum. It also keeps any water, rain or snow out of the slots.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description, since it is understood that the foregoing description is merely by way of ex- -ample and is not meant in any way to limit the spirit or scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

recoil and vertical climb comprising a cylindrical member having a central bore extending therethrough, first triangular slot means, a first cup member forward of said first slot means, second triangular slot means forward of said first cup .member, a second cup member forward of said second slot means, a third triangular slot means forward of said second cup member, and a third cup member forward of said third slot means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a rib extends between the top of said first, second and third cup members.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein a fourth and fifth cup members are disposed forward of said third cup member with fourth and fifth slot means disposed in alternate relationship therewith.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein a tube having slant cuts in its rear portion is disposed in said fifth cup member.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein an outer sleeve is mounted around said device adjacent the cup members 4 and said sleeve has a reduced rear portion and is of greater diameter than the diameter of the cup members.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein an adjustable annular ring is connected to said device, and another annular member is secured around one of the cup members.

7. A compensating device to reduce recoil and vertical climb when firing an automatic weapon comprising a centrally bored cylindrical member adapted to be secured to a gun muzzle with at least three cup members longitudinally disposed with slots therebetween, each cup member 50 having a slanted portion and a vertical portion and a cylindrical portion forming a chamber, and with said slanted portion having a central opening and said vertical portion having a central opening of substantially smaller diameter than the central opening of said slanted portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner, FRED C. MATTERN, Examiner. R, EN EQR SS A i tant E am ner.

1. A stabilizer device for use with a weapon to reduce 

1. A STABILIZER DEVICE FOR USE WITH A WEAPON TO REDUCE RECOIL AND VERTICAL CLIMB COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL BORE EXTENDING THETHERETHROUGH, FIRST TRIANGULAR SLOT MEANS, A FIRST CUP MEMBER FORWARD OF SAID FIRST SLOT MEANS, SECOND TRIANGULARSLOT MEANS FORWARD OF SAID FIRST CUP MEMBER, A SECOND CUP MEMBER FORWARD OF SAID SECOND SLOT MEANS, A THIRD TRIANGULAR SLOT MEANS FORWARD OF SAID SECOND CUP MEMBER, AND A THIRD CUP MEMBER FORWARD OF SAID THIRD SLOT MEANS. 